Thirty minutes later Alix and Kent were on their way to the Feud Pin. Kent was very excited for the match. He had been smiling the entire way there.
"I can't remember the last time I had a really good duel! Was it that dude Finker? Or maybe it was Orai and his first mate?" Alix couldn't understand why the boy was so excited for their battle.
'Why'd ya challenge him to a duel anyway?" Mo asked as he was, of course, with Alix.
'That's just the way that pirates do it here. They don't debate or argue over their issues that battle. I'm just partaking in the culture." Alix said eloquently though Mo didn't buy it.
'If that's really the case then why did you duel Angelica Floie and Miles McGregor? They weren't pirates but you were very adamant on fighting them!" Alix averted her gaze.
'Those situations were entirely different and I refuse to elaborate on the past!" Mo let out a mocking giggle.
"Sure~"
"Yo, we're here." Alix looked ahead and noticed that they were in front of what was likely the biggest building on the entire port. It was round in shape and seemed to be barely held together by the wood that formed it as several parts of the building had holes that one could see through. The only thing that looked even the slightest bit upkept was the large sign over the entrance that read, "Feud Pin" in skewed letters.
"Is that thing rocking?" Alix asked hoping for a negative response.
"Yup!" Kent said with not even a tremble in his voice. Alix on the other hand looked utterly shaken.
"Why is it rocking?"
"Because it's a ship on the water and the water is moving so the ship'll move with it."
"What?!" Kent quickly recognized what Alix's worry was about and started to explain.
"Right, you're new. Basically a few years back two pirates were fighting right here and when they were done they left this giant hole in the pier. It just kinda sat there for a while until all of the shipwrights in the port came together and made this massive ship right here to cover the hole. And since the hole was caused by a duel everyone decided that the ship would be for duels." Kent explained the situation as if everything was obvious.
"You get it?" Alix was still confused as to why they didn't just patch up the hole with normal planks but decided to move past this conversation topic.
'It's just how pirates think, I guess.' Kent led Alix to the entrance of the Feud Pin. There was a small gap between the ship and the rest of the pier so they had to make a small jump. Once on, Alix immediately felt uncomfortable.
The rocking of the ship may have looked slight from the outside but once they were on the ship it felt about a hundred times worse. Alix thought about just telling Kent that they should change the location of the duel but the boy had already disappeared into the darkness of the entryway.
'I guess it's too late.' Alix sighed and walked in to the ship. She felt a bit unsteady but she could still manage. Walking into the ship revealed a large interior that looked far more neat than she expected when she saw the outside.
There were several circular tables spread evenly all over the room with pirates sitting at them engaging in delightful conversations. There was a bar, because of course there was, but instead of serving ale they were serving wine that Alix would bet was stolen from some nobles. The ship was multi-storied as Alix could see each of the other levels with pirates looking down at the center of the room.
The reason that they were looking at the center should be obvious enough. That's where the arena was located and thus where the action was taking place. The arena was placed a level lower than the floor that Alix was currently on, completely fenced off from the rest of the ship.
Alix was truly shocked at how well-kept the ship was and also by how well-behaved the pirates were. They were talking quietly to not disturb others, laughing haughty like they were some big name aristocrats, and, again, were drinking wine from wine glasses instead of ale from flagons.
'What sort of twisted fantasy is this place?" Alix asked to Mo.
'Maybe they have a lot of respect for the establishment?" Alix sighed baffled.
'I guess they do?"
"Yo, Alix! Are you cool with waiting for a bit?" Alix turned to Kent who was standing in front of one the the many bars speaking to the bartender. "Fightmaster says that the match going on right now has to finish first. We can go in right after though." Alix had been so disoriented by how well put together the place was that she hadn't even actually checked out the arena.
She walked over to the fence and immediately witnessed what may have been one of the most brutal fights that she had ever seen.
We're talking hooks in eyes, bones being broken on purpose, and tons of underhanded tactics. That was when everything else in this place made sense.
"Oh, they are so violent and wild down there that up here everyone can be normal and just enjoy the show! Sort of a balancing of the scales in a way." Alix turned back to Kent and nodded that she was in fact okay with waiting. Kent nodded back, informed the fightmaster and started walking over to a table.
Alix watched Kent walk with interest as every step he took summoned people giving him pats on the back, hearty handshakes, and casual waves. This continued until he made it to a table and waved for Alix to join him.
Alix went to the table and gingerly sat down clearly falling victim to the atmosphere. "So? Is this place amazing or what?" Kent said in a hushed tone like all of the other pirates.
"I wouldn't call it amazing. Though it is definitely unique for a pirate's fighting arena. Anyway, I noticed that you are quite popular here?" Alix set Mo's fishbowl down in it's own chair next to her.
Kent shrugged, "I wouldn't say popular. It's just that I've been here a lot so most of these people know me. It's kind of a pirate thing." Alix nodded. understanding what the boy meant. She wanted to say something else when a pair of unknown people, one woman and the other hard to discern, sat on either side of Kent.
"Well well, if it isn't the captain! How are you on this fine morning?" The woman asked. Kent shrugged with a gentle smile on his face.
"I would say that all's going rather well so far. How about you two?" The woman smirked.
"Of course things are great! We get to come to the landmark of the port on a morning such as this and we meet the captain by chance? If those are not the makings of a good day then I don't know what is? Am I right, Shyanne?" The person that had yet to speak nodded agreeing to the woman.
"Oh Shyanne, you really get me. So, what brings you here after such a long time away cap? Haven't seen you here since I heard that raid of yours went south." Kent sighed dejectedly when the woman spoke of the raid.
"Let's not bring up painful memories, Waloe. I came here to have a good fight with my co-worker here and now I'm feeling all sad." Waloe turned and acknowledge Alix's presence.
"Hey there girlie! I guess you've got some sort of beef with the captain?" Alix shook her head.
"No issues, just a bet."
"Oho a bet you say? Is this something that I could get myself into or is this just a personal thing?" Kent waved his hand.
"It's personal. Has nothing to do with money but I do encourage you to watch our match because it could lead to a shift in dynamics if things go her way." Waloe and Shyanne eyed each other with interest.
"So you're saying that the outcome of this match could cause a sort of, paradigm shift?" Waloe asked with a sparkle in her eye.
"I mean, I guess you can put it like that? I don't think it'll be as grandiose as a paradigm shift but it will definitely have large effects if I lose." Shyanne waved their hand dismissively.
"Yeah exactly, same difference cap! Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter. I've missed seeing you fight and I'm also looking forward to what the new girl has in store. Also I've been ignoring this for a bit by why is there a pet fish sitting in that chair?" The entire table turned to Mo who was trying to get a better look at the fight in the arena.
"OOH! That looked like it hurt! Oh ye-yeah! Get him! Flip him over with the hook!" Mo cheered while watching the fight in the arena.
"That's Mo." Alix responded and spoke no more on the subject. Waloe and Shyanne turned to Kent with a look of, "Is that all?" Kent shrugged.
"I don't know much about it either. I just know that she takes him everywhere with her. I guess, he must be important to her or something."
"Oh! Like Shyanne's lucky glass eye!" A look of understanding filled Shyanne's face and they pulled out a small glass eyeball out of their pocket and presented it to Alix. Alix looked at the eye completely deadpan then shifted her gaze to Shyanne.
"Is there some sort of reason that you're showing that to me?" Shyanne looked hurt by Alix's dismissive reaction and slowly lowered the glass eye back into their pocket. They then sat there with their head hanging low.
For the rest of the fight, Alix didn't speak to any of the three pirates. She had cared so little about them that she didn't even take note of their appearance. Once the fight in the arena was finally done Alix stood up and looked at Kent with disinterest.
"Where do I go so we can get this thing started?" She spoke flatly making Kent feel confused.
"Just go over to the left stairs and go down instead of up. By the way, I thought that you wanted this fight? Why are you so indifferent?" Alix raised an eyebrow to the boy.
"I find no joy in fighting let alone fights that I know I am going to win? What a child you are, Tyrant." After that Alix walked off leaving Mo at the table. Kent sat a bit stunned before smirking and going the opposite side of the room.
"I think she's starting to grow on me."
Alix did as instructed and found the stairs to the lower floor. She walked down the stairs still unsteady from her lack of experience being on ships. She was truly failing to understand how this entire thing didn't topple over or sink but that wasn't what she needed to focus on right now.
"I need to get Kent to help me track down the Djinns so that I can find Trouler and Nuka. That's all that matters to me right now." Once she reached the bottom of the stairs Alix was met with a long, dark corridor that led to the arena that she had just seen from above. She took a deep breath and walked down the corridor.
As she walked she heard a booming voice coming from the end of the tunnel.
"Alright, flith and grime of the port! I hope that you all are ready because this next fight is going to be one to watch!" Alix rolled her eyes.
'Why does every fight need an announcer? I have never understood that.' She continued walking as the voice continued speaking.
"You don't know her yet but I trust you know her mother as the Divine Pugilist! She's the new waitress at the Pirate's Worst Nightmare but don't test her patience! Introducing...ALIX REN!"
Alix walked out of the tunnel and was greeted by a chorus of cheers. She couldn't tell if they were cheering for her or just because a fight was about to start but she didn't care either way. This fight was for her not them.
"Next up, If we could quiet down a bit." All the cheers came to an abrupt end as the announcer requested.
"This young man has made quite the splash in our community ever since he was but a child. He's got talent that will give you a shock and a personality so ruthless that his enemies say his heart is made of ice! He is known as the Half Beast of the Southern Sea. The Cold Commander! And the Captain of the TYRANT STORM PIRATES!"
"Ladies, Gentlemen, and all things in betweeeeeen! Put your hands together, for KENT TYRIO!" The crowd roared as Kent walked out from his corridor with his arms spread. Alix noticed that he now had a captain's hat on his head.
'Where did he get that hat?" Alix asked Mo telepathically.
'He grabbed it off some guy's head before he went downstairs." Alix watched as Kent slowly moved to the center of the ring with his hat tipped so Alix couldn't see his eyes. His boots clacked on the ground with each heavy step. Once in the center Kent lifted his hat and winked at Alix before ripping his shirt of and exposing his back to her.
He lifted both of his thumbs and gestured to his back or more specifically that tattoo on his back, the Skull with three spears penetrating it and the words Tyrant Storm beneath it. The crowd got even louder as they started to chant.
"Tyrant Storm! Tyrant Storm! Tyrant Storm!" Kent threw the hat off of his head revealing his deep blue hair and big smile.
"What is this some sort of show?" Alix asked annoyed by how long this was taking. Kent smirked at Alix.
"Sorry, I can't start without servicing my fans. And I also thought I'd give you a quick understanding at what you've gotten yourself into." Alix's face tightened as her frustration shifted to anger but she stood still anyway. She was a sorceress after all. Who would she be if she turned down free information on her opponent?
Kent loudly clapped his hands over his head and held them there. He then slowly lowered them to either side summoning three spears made entirely of elemental energy above his head.
One emitted a fog as the warm air touched it as the spear was made of ice.
One crackled with energy and sparked with anticipation as it was made of lightning.
And the final one dripped silently onto the floor as it was made entirely of water.
Alix saw this and her eyes immediately lit up. She had just realized this fight was going to be a lot more fun. "Kent, could it be the you're not just a pirate?" Kent smirked.
"Of course not. People of the Feud Pin! Please inform my opponent of my class!" The crowd cheered and began to speak simultaneously.
"Magic! Pirate! Captain!"
"Now let's get this fight started!" A bell rang from somewhere signaling for the fighters to begin.